Would You Buy Used Tanks?

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SteveHGraham
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by SteveHGraham »

Shopping for this stuff is so complicated. I have been trying to figure out whether the Little Torch regulators will work with the AW1A handle, but I'm starting to go crosseyed. The Little Torch has a 30-15-520 fuel regulator and a 30-20-540 oxygen regulator. Now if I had some clue what the numbers mean...
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

SteveHGraham wrote:Shopping for this stuff is so complicated. I have been trying to figure out whether the Little Torch regulators will work with the AW1A handle, but I'm starting to go crosseyed. The Little Torch has a 30-15-520 fuel regulator and a 30-20-540 oxygen regulator. Now if I had some clue what the numbers mean...
The 'little torch'...which is a mixing camber actually....doesn't care what size the regulators are.
The hose connections on the regulators are the same, no matter the size of the bottles. O2 is RH, Acet is LH. There are different diameter hoses, but the threaded connections are the same.

So, your AW1A....will work....with any regulators. It doesn't care.
A quick look, and it looks to me like the regulators you mention are for 'back-pack' bottles. (9/16-18 LH for acet, and 9/16-18 RH for O2) So that's right as well....assuming you are going for the small bottles.



It's really not complicated. Read.

Bill
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redneckalbertan
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by redneckalbertan »

warmstrong1955 wrote:I think I would avoid the Horror Freight clones, although, I have no experience with them.....I'm just guessin'.....

Bill
I can't speak for horror freight, or the smaller torches, but I have a couple Victor clones and one Harris clone torch that I bought from Princess Auto years ago. By the sounds of things, the quality of items which come from horror freight are about par with princess auto and appear as they shop at the same factories in China.

I have no complaints about the Harris clone torch. I quit using it when I got some straight body or machine body torches for pipe bevelers and I didn't want to carry two brands of torch tips on my truck so I bought the Victor clones. They were on sale in a kit with welding tips, cutting head, hose, regulator, striker and goofy googles all in a plastic carrying case for $75, so I bought two. One to use and one as a spare. I opened the spare to see if it had all the pieces but never used it the one I used I was happy with.

The screws in the back of the regulator gauges which hold the body of the gauge to the internals do come loose if left to bounce around in the back of the truck. But that is the only issue I had with them, but can't blame it on the product.

The laws in Canada about bottle valves, when I looked at them, were a little ambiguous. When I built the welding skid for the back of the truck the laws were changing to state that bottles had to be transported upright. I built it to transport O2 laying down and Acetylene upright (acetylene being upright should go without saying) and then later propane upright. I was pulled over shortly after the law had changed by DOT and there was no issue because of grandfathering. The ambiguous laws, as mentioned above, simply said the valve had to be protected during transport, but did not specify how. I built the skid to provide protection for the valves when the regulator was left on the bottle, in my mind meeting the requirement of the law. I was pulled over for tint on my windows and took the opportunity, since I was young and just starting up the business, to ask him if there was anything wrong with my setup to see if I needed to change anything before having the skid powder coated. DOT did not have a problem with my setup then.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by SteveHGraham »

It looks like it's possible to get short "whip" hoses to tack on the end of larger ones in order to make using smaller torches easier. If that's the case, maybe I should get the outfit that comes with an AW1A and then add the small hoses and Little Torch.

I have read that the Little Torch needs special Barbie Beachhouse size regulators to add sensitivity, but I have also read that this is totally untrue. It's all very clear.

My wild guess is that it makes more sense to have big hoses that feed into little ones than the other way around.
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steamin10
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by steamin10 »

I have both large and small regs, with large and small hoses for the oxy FG rubber lines. Truth is, small torches have small demands, and work with just about anything. A regulator, regulates, or its busted in some way. Dont sweat the little stuff and get going. Other things like hoses are small potatoes to getting running. I use burners Sunglasses, for most work other than goggles, for convenience, and color watch for cutting.

The supply house has brass fittings in rt/lft and up-dn sizes, just know what you need. If crossed up, a new hose with a fitting spike change can make more sense than a ton of brass junk strung together. KISS rule, and keep your sheckles in your pocket when it makes sense.

Just my old .02.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
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SteveM
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by SteveM »

SteveHGraham wrote:Would You Buy Used Tanks?
Sherman or Abrams?

Steve
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by SteveHGraham »

I would have to go with Merkava.

Or maybe an Italian or Syrian tank, due to the low mileage.
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hammermill
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by hammermill »

But French fast reverse and never fired.
WJH
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by WJH »

A tank would be fun in bumper to bumper traffic, as long as people got out of their cars in time.
choprboy
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by choprboy »

Stuart M3 or M5 light...
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Pipescs
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by Pipescs »

Sometimes you just get lucky. Or how I spent one hundred sixty dollars on a hunch.

After reading these forum inputs, I had made up my mind to spend the money on some mid sized bottles for the shop. I have a small hand carry unit from Tractor Supply that I have used for years but wanted something with a little more volume in the shop.

So yesterday I stumbled on an add on Craig's List for a set of bottles, regulators and a torch for $215.00. First thing that struck my eye was the fact that Acetylene bottle did not look right as to anything I had seen before. The listing seller had a small nick-knack shop so it did not look like a scam that could be dangerous.
00909_ixApiisQ98M_600x450.jpg
I texted the owner telling him my concerns on stolen property and the fact that I could be buying something that was not fillable. He then sent me a photo of the markings on the tops of the bottles. The marking on the bottle that stated "Property of xxxxxx" had all the name ground off flush on both bottles, but the name "Post Gas" was stamped on the top of the bottle. Both bottles were seriously out of date with the last Hydrostat testing being back in the 1970 period. So at this point you are thinking, as the things didn't look right to start with, and the markings were bad, surely he walked away. Did I tell you I was a Marine years ago?

So this morning I called the local Sexton Gas Company to ask of the possibility of testing and having them filled. He informed me that Post Gas had been a distributer in the distant past and that the company had been bought by Airgas. He would not be able to accept or fill the bottles.

He recommended I call Airgas and so I did. The explained that no company filled bottles locally anymore. It was handled on an exchange system.

Calling Airgas I was told that they had no problem exchanging the Post Bottles. and that there would be a 35.00 fee for the out of date hydrostat. He also explained the process for me. When you take a empty in, even if you bought the bottle from Tractor Supply or Harbor Freight, they simply exchange it for a full one. Each gas company only deals in their bottles and will not fill or exchange for one from another company that is currently in business.


So what the heck I bought the bottles and parts for 160 and headed off to Airgas.

Well all did not go as planned, but more after I get back home

Oh, and by the way this is the torch and regulators that I got.
DSC_4314.jpg
Charlie Pipes
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Pipescs
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Re: Would You Buy Used Tanks?

Post by Pipescs »

The rest of the Story,

On arrival at Airgas, the staff imideately confirmed my fear that the red and black bottle was not acetylene. But other than that they did not know what it was. After some research they figured out that it was a hydrogen bottle set up to work with the regulators. Someone in the past was doing Oxy-Hydro Cutting with it. So at this point I figure I paid 160 for a Oxy Bottle.

The nice people at Airgas said, not a problem, as they agreed to swap me an Acetylene bottle even for the hydrogen bottle. The only charge was for a hydrostat on both my turn ins along with the refill charge.

They loaded both these on the truck. I have a receipt for that shows me turning in two bottles and leaving with two bottles.
DSC_4313.jpg
The catch (at least to me) I do not have a receipt or piece of paper that says these are my property. I also don't have a rental agreement. The rep at Airgas said this is not a problem. He had a turn in for credit and tells me I do not have to come back to him as there is a closer dealer in Madison that he recommended. If I want to sell the tanks to someone else, Airgas does not care. This because the tanks still have to come back to them to be serviced. They make there money selling gas, not bottles.

These new tanks are dated March 2016.

After this experience

I would recommend to first look at the exterior of any tank you are looking at buying. Look for excessive rust, arc strikes or gouges.

If there is a name on the tank top on the ring, call that company and talk with them on their exchange program. If the company was bought out then you have to find who services that brand. If the company went out of business the local gas supplier will know if they will take the bottle.
DSC_4315.jpg
Sexton Gas told me they would exchange personally owned bottles (ones with no company markings) with like (Unnamed bottles). If a company goes out of business and is not bought out it can be iffy on another company will take it on an exchange.

So I ended up with 230.00 in the bottles
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
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